DATE=4/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248610
TITLE=INDIA / POLITICS (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// EDS: PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT SOON. WATCH
CN FILE AND UPDATE INTRO //
INTRO: INDIA FACES ITS THIRD NATIONAL ELECTION IN THREE YEARS
AFTER THE COUNTRY'S CARETAKER CABINET RECOMMENDED FRESH ELECTIONS
ON MONDAY. THE DECISION WAS CONVEYED TO INDIA'S PRESIDENT WHO
MUST NOW OFFICIALLY DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT AND CALL NEW ELECTIONS.
VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS MONDAY'S DEVELOPMENT BRINGS AN END TO
MORE THAN A WEEK OF POLITICAL TURMOIL IN NEW DELHI FOLLOWING A
VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER
ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE ON APRIL 17TH.
TEXT: THE DECISION TO CALL FOR NEW ELECTIONS CAME MONDAY AFTER
IT BECAME APPARENT ON THAT INDIA'S CONGRESS PARTY COULD NOT FORM
A GOVERNMENT.
NOW AN ELECTION MUST BE HELD WITHIN SIX MONTHS AND THE ONLY
QUESTION IS WILL IT BE AN EARLY POLL IN JUNE OR ONE HELD LATER IN
SEPTEMBER AFTER THE WORST OF THE MONSOON SEASON IS OVER.
INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING MINISTER PRAMOD MAHAJAN ANNOUNCED
THE CABINET DECISION ON MONDAY, SAYING HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES
PREFER AN EARLY POLL.
// INSERT ACTUALITY //
WE FEEL A SEPTEMBER MONSOON IS WORSE THAN A JUNE MONSOON
BECAUSE IN SEPTEMBER THERE ARE FLOODS IN THE COUNTRY AND
MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE INACCESSIBLE. YOU CAN'T
CAMPAIGN YOU CAN'T SET BALLOT BOXES AND SECONDLY WE FEEL
IT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY TO
CONTINUE WITH A CARETAKER GOVERNMENT FOR SIX MONTHS.
// END ACTUALITY //
MR. MAHAJAN ALSO SAYS PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE WILL TAKE HIS HINDU
NATIONALIST BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY BACK TO THE POLLS. HE SAYS
MR. VAJPAYEE WILL ALSO LIKELY BENEFIT FROM VOTER SYMPATHY AFTER
BEING DEFEATED BY ONE VOTE IN A CONFIDENCE MOTION LED BY THE
CONGRESS PARTY ON APRIL 17TH.
FOLLOWING THE VOTE, THE LEADER OF THE CONGRESS PARTY, SONIA
GANDHI, THE ITALIAN-BORN WIDOW OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER RAJIV
GANDHI, HELD EXHAUSTIVE NEGOTIATIONS WITH SOME OF HER SMALL PARTY
ALLIES -- TRYING TO GET THE NECESSARY 272 VOTES TO ACHIEVE A
MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT. SUNDAY NIGHT SHE INFORMED PRESIDENT K-R
NARAYANAN SHE WAS GIVING UP.
// INSERT GANDHI ACTUALITY //
I TOLD THE PRESIDENT THAT I TRIED MY BEST TO CONVINCE
OUR COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS THAT BELONG TO SECULAR
PARTIES BUT I HAVE BEEN NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONVINCE
THEM. UNFORTUNATELY I FEEL THAT WHILE MANY MANY PARTIES
HAVE BEEN VERY SINCERE IN OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT, OTHERS
HAVE PUT THEIR OWN PERSONAL INTERESTS BEFORE THE
INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY.
// END ACTUALITY //
NEWS OF EARLY ELECTION CAUSED THE BOMBAY STOCK MARKET TO DROP
FOUR PERCENT AND PUSHED INDIA'S CURRENCY, THE RUPEE, TO NEW LOWS.
WHILE ELECTIONS ARE NOW INEVITABLE, THEY ARE NOT WELCOME. INDIA'S
LAST ELECTIONS, HELD JUST 13 MONTHS AGO, COST AN ESTIMATED 200
MILLION DOLLARS. SOME BUSINESS LEADERS SAY PUTTING OFF ELECTIONS
UNTIL SEPTEMBER WILL MEAN CONTINUED POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY WHICH
WILL HURT THE ECONOMY.
HOLDING ELECTIONS IN JUNE COULD BE WORSE. AN EARLY HEAT WAVE HAS
ALREADY KILLED NEARLY 50 PEOPLE ACROSS INDIA AND BY JUNE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE MID-FORTIES (110 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT)
-- MAKING CAMPAIGNING --AND VOTING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/LTD/KL
26-Apr-99 8:04 AM EDT (1204 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.